Green Gem
by Tess 4 5
Summary: Another Sequel to Merry Christmas, Siblings and Dessert – It's still a lazy Christmas Day and Lady Asherton had invited some friends and family for an opulent dinner. See how the evening ended.
1. Christmas gifts

**Author's note:** I don't own any of the characters nor the original Inspector Lynley Mysteries – they belong to Elizabeth George and the BBC.

Reviews and comments are very welcome! But since I'm no native speaker please let me know if I did something terribly wrong (rating, grammar, spelling...). Thanks!

* * *

Another Sequel to Merry Christmas, Siblings and Dessert – It's still a lazy Christmas Day and Lady Asherton had invited some friends and family for an opulent dinner. See how the evening ended. (...just added a word, so now everybody knows where they will find a refuge on Boxing Day: St. Ives ;-) )

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* * *

"So, Merry Christmas." Judith smiled and raised her teacup to toast. "And good luck. You'll have a nice amount of work with that stubborn boy."

* * *

"Oh, shut up, sis." Thomas rolled his eyes.

"I think I already made substantial progress." Barbara laughed. She really liked how his siblings tease him all the time. They didn't seem to have the slightest respect. Sure, unlike Barbara they weren't subordinates to Thomas and they were of the same noble descent. Additionally both his sister and his brother could relax on that same financial background and, so it seems, on the family related background, too. His brother Peter had successfully passed his addiction treatment and was happy with Emily for nearly two years now and even the uneasiness in the relationship between Thomas and his mother seemed to be hurdled. The whole family situation had grown lighter since Barbara last visited Howenstow some years ago and she could feel it every second.

"Now, what were your plans for your days off? Go walking? Or horse-riding? Or just relax and laze around?" Judith asked.

Barbara had not yet thought about what to do at Howenstow apart from being here with Thomas. In fact, when she had agreed to come here with him she just had known that she didn't want to join the Boxing Day party held by Lady Asherton. She hadn't felt ready for those family things and certainly not for one of those posh parties. Though now she wasn't so certain anymore that the party would become such a disaster for her because the family was everything but posh to the bone and gave her a hearty welcome. Especially Judith integrated her by playfully fraternising against her brother. Needless to say that everybody is briefed, like Thomas enunciated their little mischief, and their plans to keep it a secret for a while didn't last long. Barbara questioningly looked at Thomas.

"Well," he said. "we might visit the stables, but I think we won't saddle the horses. Next it's the big dinner tonight and tomorrow we will leave and stay two or three days in Nathans' flat in St. Ives." He winked at his sister knowing that she knows they were planning on escaping the Boxing Day Party. "At New Year's Eve we will have returned here. Maybe some horse-riding before that. Did you ever experienced to ride, Barbara?"

"Does donkey-riding count? Then yes." she nodded amused. "What's that dinner today? I've heard it would be a real big one with more friends and more family." She slightly frowned.

Thomas appeased. "It would be us, like yesterday, and Frederick's dear friend George, also another cousin with his wife and twins –"

"God almighty, I've hoped they would reprieve us this year!" Judith sighed.

"You'll survive them. Stephanie will have her fun with the little whirlwinds." Thomas continued. "Also we'll have the pleasure to welcome aunt Augusta, our uncle Herman, Isobel – good friend of our mother – and..." this is when he started grinning at Barbara "...Deborah and Simon!"

"Oh, no!" Barbara cried out and grimaced.

"You don't like them?" Judith wondered.

"Yes, I do! But they will poke fun at me because of..." her voice trailed off and she made a gesture between herself and Thomas.

"Why should they?!" Thomas grumbled disbelievingly.

Barbara now told of a conversation she once was having with Deborah in the office when the ' were waiting for Thomas. Simon went for a coffee and Barbara chatted with his wife. Deborah somehow pushed her into admitting that Thomas truly was some kind of a man and she asked Barbara why she won't give him a try because they _seem to have a thing for each other_. Back then Barbara was slightly shocked. She only had thought about something like that when she was alone at home in the evenings. She hadn't dared to allow herself to deepen any kind of those feelings. In fact he was her superior and despite all the familiar circumstances, with the nobility and all, Thomas was also still a bit grieving from Helen's death. At that time he had been back in business for three big cases. And most of all it was absurd, like Barbara told Deborah exactly with those words.

"Absurd?!" Thomas asked. "And I am _some kind of a man_?!" he grinned, playfully mocking her.

Judith once again choked laughing on her tea.

"She's right! And you both are some kind of a couple, my brother." she said. "That means: Deb will poke fun at both of you!"

"Oh, _that_ will be an evening!" Barbara sighed.

* * *

Later on Thomas and Barbara went upstairs to his bedroom. They still hadn't unpacked their bags. Barbara was feeling a bit awkward putting her clothes into his cabinet.

"But you didn't feel awkward sleeping naked in my bed, did you?" he played an innocent facial expression.

"Oh, please!" she punched his side.

"You've brought your dark green blouse? Wear it tonight." He said it with a provoking look.

Thomas asked her to hang out those things that needed to be ironed. Hodge would have taken them.

"I can do it myself." she said.

"Barbara, it's his job." Thomas had to sigh.

After some badinages about having a butler and other staff and after some kisses inbetween they took on some useful wardrobe and went for a walk. They made a visit to the stables, petted Thomas' old Islandic horse Olafur, and they snuggled in an empty horsebox full of hay bales where they got caught by Peter and Emily who laughed themselves to tears, leaving Thomas and Barbara in total confusion.

"Wha' was that?" Barbara asked, gazing after the leaving couple.

"Juvenile foolery, don't know." Thomas shook his head. "And I don't care. Come back, we're alone again." he added huskily. With a tiger's growl he yanked Barbara heavily against him and now it was her turn to foolishly giggle.

Returning to the house after a while, they still had enough time to do nothing and so they went around in the back garden, threw sticks for Dolly to retrieve and they snogged behind the giant hedgerow.

Then they heard Peter whistle and shout very loudly that they better return and have themselves prepared for dinner. They also heard Dove berating him for that because she had asked him to _search_ but not to _shout_ for them. It was followed by a laughing "Ouch!" from Peter. His mother had given him a slap on the upper arm.

* * *

Thomas and Barbara went upstairs to shower together and put on their evening clothes. The shower took several minutes more than expected because they couldn't keep their fingers to themselves and they fumbled and kissed all the time but they both knew they _had_ to appear for dinner so they interrupted their caressings again and again and again.

Finally they got each other dried and dressed. Barbara in fact had put on some subtle make-up.

Thomas wore his black dinner jacket and a bow tie and Barbara had put on black trousers and, as requested by Thomas, her recently ironed dark green blouse. Thomas watched her closing the buttons and grinned. He stepped close, re-opened the top two and pulled the collar wide open.

"We don't have the pleasure that the vicar will join us." he winked and placed a light kiss on the now visible lovebite. Barbara blushed and readjusted the collar. She did not want to display it to everybody.

Thomas fetched a slim casket. Barbara stopped breathing, suddenly being extremely nervous about what was to come now. Her eyes widened.

"I want you to wear this Christmas gift." Thomas voice was croaky. He opened the casket and took the jewellery out of it. It was a thin silver necklet with a single small green gem, just a little smaller than a pea and with a visible scar in it.

"It's a special emerald." he said, opened the clasp with slightly trembling hands, bent over and put it around Barbara's neck. Being so near he kissed her straight away.

"...matches your eyes so beautifully." Thomas breathed onto her lips between kisses. When they had to break the kissing they stayed embraced, with their foreheads linked, and smiled at each other.

Then Barbara apologized "...sorry, I've no gift for you. I was so busy I didn't find time to think about it or..."

Thomas stopped her wordy explanation with a kiss.

"Hmmm... _You_ are my Christmas gift, Barbara!" he said tenderly.

* * *

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	2. Dinner

**Author's note:** It's time to go downstairs, isn't it?

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* * *

Thomas had told Barbara a few facts about the other guests. James was a distant cousin living near Nanrunnel with Katharine and their twirly twins Lauren and Michael. They were confidently organic farmers and some sort of alternatives. Uncle Herman also once had been a farmer and would probably converse with them the entire evening. Auntie Augusta was Thomas' maiden aunt. He expected her to flirt again playfully with Frederick without realising that he was with _his dear friend_ George. And Isobel is the best and oldest friend of his mother. They had been friends as far back as their schooldays.

"They all are very kind people, you will like them and they will like you." he ended.

"So, are we ready for the lions' den?" Thomas stood in front of the mirror and tugged at his bow tie. Barbara wrapped her arms around him from behind and muffled into his back.

"...think I _have_ to be." She sighed. "Can't we just get ourselves some fish'n'chips?"

Thomas freed himself, turned, put his hands on her shoulders and looked her deep in the eye.

"You won't dodge, my dear Barbara. And you don't need to. I'm right behind you. Let's go!"

After one last deep kiss they left his bedroom. On the top landing Thomas gave Barbara a tender bottom smack.

"_You_!" she hissed and waggled his hand away. Thomas laughed and stole another kiss. Going downstairs to meet the others Barbara instructed him to behave properly and keep his hands to himself if he wanted to survive the evening.

* * *

Downstairs there already was a little commotion. Most of the guests had arrived and now waited for Lady Asherton. Peter, Emily and the three farmers drank an appetiser in the library, accompanied by aunt Augusta. Stephanie and the twins, those two-year old tornados, had their fun in the hallway. And Judith stood in the parlour chatting with Simon and Deborah. They would stay overnight and got their bags brought up by one of the servants.

Eventually Judith couldn't keep it to herself anymore, she _had_ to say something about Thomas and Barbara.

"You know what? I've got a big surprise for you." she giggled. "And you never guess!"

Simon and Deborah looked at each other shrugging. Right in that moment, as if Judith had planned it that way, Barbara stepped into the parlour.

"Hello!" she said lightheartedly, happy to meet the St. James' once again.

Deborah turned around like lightning and gaped.

"Hello Barbara! Nice to see you again." Simon said and they shook hands.

Then Thomas appeared at Barbara's side and put his hand on her hip to bring home the message.

"No?!" Deb jubilates and hugged Barbara abundantly. "Oh, how wonderful!" she rejoiced.

"Can you calm down, Deb. It's not been _that_ unexpected, has it." Thomas rolled his eyes but showed a big satisfied grin from ear to ear. He shook hands with Simon. Then he had to let Barbara free because Simon captured him roughly and gave him a big friendly squeeze.

"You devil, you! It's about time!" Simon laughed. "When did the scales fell from your bleary eyes, Tommy?"

Now Judith chipped in. "It was last-"

"_Thursday_!" Thomas completed with a warning glare to his sister. "We've had an argue in my office about some suspects and I suddenly felt a huge butterfly swarm in my stomach, understood the reason and then declared myself."

Thomas and Barbara smiled at each other happily, clearly evident for anyone.

"In the office, disputing with Barbara?" Deborah asked unbelievingly.

Thomas grinned and squeezed Barbara's shoulder. "It wasn't quite romantic..."

"Oh, yes, it was!" Judith denied. "When Barbara told the story, I nearly cried."

Uncle Herman entered the room. "Who cried?"

Thomas explained it and introduced Barbara to him. The others came over one by one and all were introduced. Barbara felt visibly uneasy being the centre of attention. But the entire time Thomas didn't left her side and they held hands most of the time. Deborah couldn't avert her eyes from the couple because she really was so happy for both. She had _known_ something had been going on between them for such a long time and now they finally had worked it out. And Thomas looked so deeply contented. It really was about time he had found someone to bring home.

When finally Dove came downstairs they moved to the dining room. There a huge table was laid so all eighteen could sit in something like a big oval with Thomas and Dove on the facing edges, Judith and Barbara and Isobel and Frederick at their sides. Deborah was sitting at the same corner like Barbara and they chatted like good old friends so Barbara wasn't aware that Judith tipped herself at the neckline and looked at Thomas questioningly. The necklace's gem with the scar was a special one and Judith hadn't seen it for ages. He himself grinned like a boy and nodded.

"Mine!" he stated. Judith chuckled and squeezed his hand.

* * *

With a very short speech Dove opened the evening officially and the salad was being served.

It was a real feast! They had five courses to go through and each ended with a short break. The twins used them to pursue Stephanie or Emily or climb on Peter to be carried around in the hall. The elderly – no offence! – mostly stayed at the table to chatter or went to the library to have a drink in between. And the others mostly went into the parlour.

After the second course – a creamy soup of sweet chestnuts, served with sherry – Thomas took Barbara aside.

"Let's go for a little walk." he said, whistled for Dolly, took Barbara's hand and led her outside.

It was unusually cold in Cornwall, even for a December night, and they had put on their coats and scarves. They slowly went hand in hand to the rough green where Dolly could take her time out. While she sniffed around Thomas and Barbara stood there embracing each other and kissed.

"Are you ok?" he asked her attentively.

"I am. Your family is so wonderfully kind to me." she smiled.

"Why shouldn't they. _You_ are wonderful." he kissed her tenderly.

"There is just one thing, Thomas." Barbara hesitated and played bashfully with the zipper of his coat.

"And that is?"

"I really don't know how I should call your mother." Barbara bit her lip.

Thomas laughed and gained a slap on his chest and the angry accusation that he didn't take her seriously.

"Sorry, love." he kissed her again. "You can call her Dorothy or Dove. It's what she told you, you forgot?"

"No. But it's still somewhat... awkward." she whinged. "Don't get me wrong, I like her very much. I like your whole family, but..."

"But what?"

"It's still rummy. This whole... thing!"

"Am I a thing?" he asked in mock fright.

"Oh, shut up!" Barbara smiled.

They went on kissing and hugging for a while until Dolly grumbled at their side.

"Let's go in again. And don't you dare calling her Madam!" he winked.

"Yes, Sir!" Barbara saluted.

* * *

The third course was fish. After it the young people (not the children, they were sent to nap in the wintergarden) took their wine-glasses and went into the parlour again. After the soup Simon had opened the antique darts cabinet and now he continued his game with James and Katharine. Thomas plonked on the sofa and pressed Barbara into his side. The other ladies took their seats on the sofa or in the armchairs and all nattered about anything and everything and their jobs and their family.

"I'm still here!" Thomas complained when Judith told something about him being an arduously brother and stubborn boy, followed by an assenting nod from Barbara. They all laughed. It was a real jolly round.

* * *

Leaving empty glasses they all return to the table. The main course was excellent: Saddle of venison in cranberry sauce. They had Bordeaux with it and with the long duration of that course it wasn't just one glass. This was the course when some guests raised their glasses to thank for the invitation and that gorgeous meal.

Again Barbara finished her wine in the parlour. Thomas had stayed at the table talking with James and Simon so now they had an all-ladies-circle there. All glasses were topped up. Being new in that round Barbara had to tell everything: how come, when exactly, where exactly, and so on. They even bitched a little about Thomas but in a friendly way.

Barbara's mind drifted off. She realised that Thomas wasn't the lady killer she thought him to be. Obviously he never brought one of his distractions to Howenstow which secretly pleased Barbara. It intimidated her a bit that the girls confirmed that after Helen she was the only one he brought home. They seemed to put her in a position she didn't dare to think of and didn't think of fitting her. In fact she had come to the opinion that she was just another lover and that she would enjoy it as long as it might last, even if it would break her heart in the end. She would never see herself as more than that, by no means would she see herself as... Oh, she was so very glad that the dessert now was served and they were called back to the dining room so she could try to repress those confusing thoughts and concentrate on something else.

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**Author's note:** If you like to cook (and eat and drink, like me) and because my mouth is still watering, here are the courses:

the salad: cornsalad with walnut dressing and orange segments – you can have the welcome champagne with it

the soup: creamy soup of sweet chestnuts – I suggest sherry

the fish: pike-perch fillet on beetroot – white wine with the fish (of course)

the main: medium roast saddle of venison in cranberry sauce with savoy cabbage and croquettes, breaded with almonds – red wine (of course) with the deer

*giggles* the dessert: cinnamon parfait with pear, pickled in Cornish Stingers. In the original recipe it was hot wine punch / glühwein, but I've remembered that special beverage and it was a perfect fit. If I ever happen to appear in Cornwall again and because one seem to get it nowhere else I swear I will then buy five gallons. Imperial gallons. Minimum.


	3. Dessert

**Author's note:** Yes, again, dessert *still giggles* but as it was served at the table with other guests around it's not quite similar to that one in the glasshouse. The evening continues.

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During the dessert the younger men now had their jackets off and some had changed their seats. So Barbara now sat between Judith and Deborah.

"What's this exactly?" Barbara asked. "Cinnamon parfait, it's pear and... It tastes good, but what is it?"

"Must be Cornish Stingers, I suppose." and answering the blankness in Barbara's eyes Judith explained "It's some kind of sweet sparkling nettle wine. A cornish speciality."

"Like your brother." Deborah added dryly.

The three women giggled.

Judith decided that it was time to inform Barbara about that necklet.

"Do you know what you wear on your neck?" she asked quietly. Barbara was irritated.

"It's an emerald." she said hesitant, not knowing what Judith was up to.

"Yes, but it's a special one." Judith took her dessert and stood up. "Deb, will you join us? Let's go into the parlour. I'll tell you a story."

Before going into the parlour Judith ordered three glasses of Cornish Stingers to be served there.

They made themselves comfortable on the sofa. Meanwhile in all rooms the fires were lit due to the winter's coldness outside. It was a cosy atmosphere, some candles here and there and dimmed lights added to it.

Judith kept them in suspense by waiting until the drinks were served.

"Judith, you're killing me!" Deborah complained.

"Alright." Judith raised her glass. "To friends, family and stories!"

"Cheers!"

* * *

After that toast she began to speak.

"Most of it I only know from our mother." she said. "Thomas had been in his early teenage years, fourteen or fifteen or so, a difficult phase. I think in every young man's life it is – revolting against the world. And against his father, I can tell." Judith blew out her cheeks. She told about numerous verbal fights with their father. They were on the daily table, so to say. But once during the school holidays he had an enormously bad argue with his father in which Thomas had taken off his ring, a simple gold ring with a tiny plain emerald he got since his birth, and had thrown it against the stony mantelpiece.

"It has been a scene worth Hollywood, mother said." Judith rolled her eyes. He had shouted something like he didn't want to be a bloody Lord if ...whatever that argue had been about. She supposed it must've been something with discipline and stubbornness and whatever else.

The three women grinned at each other, all knowing Thomas.

"Then he had stomped off the room and out of the house releasing steam. We know where he's going to on those occasions." Judith went on.

The ring he had thrown, you guess right, it broke. The green gem had fallen off its setting and since then had this visible scar. Some weeks and some _men talk_ later his father had given him back the ring, now revised into an Asherton Arms signet ring with just the splinter of the gem, and the scar-gem itself in a little box.

"You might have had a closer look on his ring. Sure he's still wearing it."

Barbara was taken by complete surprise. She instinctively touched the little gem around her neck.

Judith leant back and took a sip from that sparkling drink. Pensively she stared on the bubbles for a while.

"The emerald..." she started. "You know, it's not just the gem in Thomas' ring, the emerald is found everywhere in the family. It's the Asherton's gem."

She had suspected something similar but never would she have thought that it is _this_ important and so Barbara started to panic. "It... I..." she stammered helplessly. "But..."

"Welcome to the family!" Judith said and raised her glass again. Automatically and totally absent Barbara answered "Cheers!" She didn't even notice that Deb winked at Judith in silent agreement that Barbara obviously needed a little longer to get this in.

Then finally Barbara found her voice again but still it was all stammer that she was able to. "But he can't give me such a..." she croaked. "What was he thinking? It's just nine days... He has to be... He must be insane to... He..."

"...loves you." Judith helped her. "And it's not just since nine days, believe me." She took another sip from her drink.

Barbara looked at her still helpless. "But..."

"I'd say he is deeply in love with you." Deborah stated and raised her glass too.

"Madly, _I'd _say." Judith corrected her.

"Up to his raising eybrows in love." Deborah and Judith giggled and finally Barbara had to chuckle, too.

* * *

"Oh, it's here, you are!" Thomas walked in. "What are you hens up to now?"

Barbara blushed and Judith threw a pillow at her brother. "I told them about your family jewels!"

Thomas blushed. "My what?!"

"Some lovely stories." Barbara said broadly grinning.

"It was quite revealing." Deborah added girlishly giggling.

"Can you get us three more stingers, dear brother?" Judith asked innocently smiling.

Thomas raised his eyebrows what made the three girls immediately laugh out helplessly. "Oh, dear, when shall you three meet again..!" he sighed and went to get the requested drinks.

* * *

One by one the guests left homewards. The twins had to sleep in their own beds and _the grown ups_, like Peter named the elder generation, didn't want to stay overnight

All of the remaining lot moved into the much more comfortable living room. Except of Dove, who sat there properly in an armchair, they all were sprawling out very casually in the cushions. Judith sat across one of the armchairs with her legs over the armrest. Peter sat astride a chair, Emily sat on the floor and Deb and Simon sat arm in arm in one corner of the sofa. Thomas sat in the other corner with one knee bent leaning against the armrest, the other on the floor. Barbara sat somewhat in his lap leaning against his bent knee and her hand playing on his belly with a button of his shirt.

Thomas' _three witches_ giggled and talked and laughed like they were best friends for years. The thing is that they all three have a shared victim: poor Thomas! And he only could steal a very few kisses in between. The chemistry between those three simply was right.

It was a lighthearted atmosphere between all of them and they chatted and sipped on their drinks.

It was about half past midnight when Lady Asherton finally stood up.

"I'll leave you alone now, my dear kids." she said very kindly. "Good night and behave yourselves!"

Peter grumbled something like they were quite _grown_ kids and put two or three more logs on the fire. Then he went to the liquor cabinet. "I now declare this bazar open! Who wants what?"

"Didn't you have had enough, Peter?" Thomas asked.

"Oh, bugger off, brother, you've got _yourself_ too much to drink! Now what? Whisky? Gin'n'Tonic for the ladies?"

In the end Peter had to be propped by Emily when leaving as first. They made such a funny sight because Emily herself wasn't sober at all. The remaining lot wasn't that drunk but because they all truly had a few drinks they all were more than tiddly in the end when the fire finally died down.

Judith left after Deborah and Simon went to bed.

"This remembers me of the previous evening." Judith stood up. "Have a nice night, you two." she said grinning smugly and hurried out of the living room.

* * *

Immediately after her leaving and not knowing that she _of course_ stuck her head back in the door to see what would be going on, Thomas pulled Barbara closer to him and kissed her passionately. Judith left giggling.

"Oh, how I've missed this the entire evening." Thomas breathed onto Barbaras lips and continued the kiss. His hands wandered over her body caressing her.

"I want you so much." he moaned.

Barbara broke the kiss and turned to straddle him. She put her arms around his neck and bent down to him. Thomas put his arms around her waist and held her close. They shared a frantic kiss with hips moving and tongues fighting. When he started to push up her blouse to touch the naked skin of her waist she broke the kiss.

"Let's move upstairs!" she rasped.

She stood up and helped Thomas to get out of the cushions. She pulled him close to her and they kissed again. Then she giggled under his lips.

"Wha're you laughin' 'bout?" he mumbled.

"I've had too much drinks 'n' better not dance now." she giggled again in remebrance of the previous evening.

"We skip it anyway!" Thomas pushed her gently into the direction of the door. Barbara took his hand, turned and pulled him with her. They kissed again multiple times on the stairs and hurried up to the bedroom.

This time they didn't forget to close the door.

Once inside they chuckled about that point and Thomas pushed her hard against the door. His groin pressed into her hip and she could feel him very intensely and she found it very promising.

They shared passionate kisses wherever their lips reached while undressing each other. One by one the clothes carelessly fell onto the floor, spreaded evenly in the whole room, until both stood there in front of the bed absolutely naked. Thomas kissed the crook of her neck just above where the emerald was and it made her moan.

"I love you!" he breathed onto her shoulder and folded back the sheets. Carefully he lowered her onto his bed and kissed her breasts. Barbara closed her eyes when he left moist traces on his way to her bellybutton. Once his lips were there he whispered "I'll be right back." onto it and went to the bathroom. It took him not two minutes but when he returned he found Barbara lying there curled up and softly snoring.

She had fallen asleep, naked and bare, with nothing on but the green gem.

Thomas sighed. Very careful he opened the clasp and took the filigree piece of jewellery from her neck to place it on the bedside cabinet. He laid his signet ring next to it. Then he climbed into bed beside her and covered them both with the duvet. Spooning Barbara he closed his eyes and buried his nose in her hair. Just before he himself fell asleep Thomas thought:

_It has been a very _different_ evening so why should it end like yesterday?!_

* * *

_._

* * *

**Author's note:** Remember this: drink responsibly or you can get no...

* * *

The Emerald – this is what Simon said: (not Simon St. James but _whatsimonsaid_DOT_co_DOT_uk_ – what a match ;-) )

_Got a birthday in May? Yes? _[Yes. Tess.]_ You lucky thing! Your birthstone is the fantastically fabulous Emerald._

_Now, we all know that diamonds are seen of as the last word in luxury but I think that emeralds have an opulence and sophistication that outshines even the most impressive diamond. They reek of old school glamour. Think of emeralds you envisage the golden age of Hollywood and screen legends such as Liz Taylor and Marlene Dietrich. Celebrities today will showcase the world's most amazing jewels on the red carpet, but those who want to really make an impact, who want to let us know they are true stars, wear emeralds._

_Part of the Beryl family of gemstones, emeralds are relatively soft stones, which makes them very delicate. This means cutting them for use in jewellery requires a huge amount of skill. They also tend towards having lots of inclusions (faults) so clean stones are rare, which makes them extremely expensive._

By the way – if anybody knows the birthdays of our two protagonists (not the actors), please let me know. I couldn't find it anywhere. Thanks.


	4. Breakfast with Dove

**Author's note:** Thank you for your support!

What had started with a dialogue in my head (Merry Christmas, Not on Boxing Day) had developed into some short story and somehow it had started to have a life on its own. _Of course_ there will be more chapters! As I've recently watched ILM s04/e02 - _LOVE that one!_ - and spotted two locations (certain: Kennack Sands; not so certain: the quay bulkhead in Coverack) plus my own memories and photos from a tour through Cornwall, I have some scenic route in my head. And some moments of the refuge (spoiler, hahaha) in St. Ives.

But first we have to get those two out of bed and some breakfast (i.e. coffee) into them.

* * *

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* * *

Barbara woke up from a loud snoring. And that snoring would have woken up the dead! Thomas laid next to her, arms wide spread, one leg outside the cover and without a pillow. Barbara had been cuddled against him, her back into his side, her head resting on his arm.

_Gosh, my head!_ she thought, turned over and tried to fall asleep again. But no way. Thomas snored too loud and couldn't be stopped by being pinched. Annoyed she turned again and opened up her eyes to have a look on the alarm clock. She saw the necklet and the ring on the bedside cabinet lying next to each other and with a smile she gently touched the ring. Curiously she took it and had a closer look. She knew the Asherton Arms and recognized the integrated green splinter. One by one she recollected the dinner and the then following evening. When it came to that point where she thought she must have fallen asleep she inwardly giggled.

There was no way of sleeping anymore so she decided to get up and take a shower. When Thomas still was asleep after it she put on the necklet, then her sweatpants and jumper and some thick woolen socks and went downstairs to have breakfast.

* * *

Dove was already sitting at the table in what one could call casual dress but for Barbara it was still very immaculate. For a split second she hesitated at the door. When deciding upon going downstairs she hadn't thought of the possibility to face Dove there.

_... the heck with it!_ she thought, drew herself up and went into the kitchen.

"Morning, M... Dove!" she said smiling. _That was close!_ She nearly called her Madam.

"Morning, Barbara, sleep well?" Dove looked up from the book she was reading.

_Nice! She reads at breakfast! How incorrect!_

"Like a boozer – fitful and too short." Barbara winked and was appalled by her own brave words.

Dove laughed. "So you've celebrated for a while longer, I guessed as much when leaving to bed."

"Yes, Peter did – " she paused and "showed quotes" with her fingers " – declare the bazar open when you left." Though Dove laughed about that remark Barbara felt a bit uneasy, not really knowing what to do.

"That's Peter." Dove rolled her eyes. "Barbara, feel at home!" she made an invitating gesture. "Coffee's in the pot over there. And please help yourself, use and take whatever you need for breakfast."

Barbara was glad about that coffee. Indeed it was all she needed now. Perhaps later also a buttered toast, but that would be enough.

"Thank you!" she said a little shyly and winced when the mug hit the pot with a loud noise.

"Got a headache?"

"Pretty much!"

"In the cupboard above the sink there are some Alka-Seltzers if you want."

With a bubbly glass of painkiller in her stomach Barbara nearly felt alive.

Dove shook her head.

"You young ones... Not yet learned the effect of alcohol, haven't you."

"Oh, yes, we've learned. Seems we always forget." Barbara winked.

They talked for a while about youth, alcohol, Peter and his drug career and Judith and her daughter.

"Judith likes you very much. She always did." Dove stated and Barbara reddened just a little. Somehow she's getting used to be integrated in this forthright manner. She remembered that day once they left Howenstow, having spent some days there after her Aikido lessons nearby. Judith had embraced her and said something about part of the family. _How foreknowing..._ "It's because she sees that you do him good."

At some point Thomas _had_ to become the topic of their conversation, Barbara had known it.

"It's mutual." she mumbles.

"I haven't seen him that cheerful and happy for ages. He was always so rancorous after Helen lost their baby and she left him. He always seemed to carry the weight of the world even when they rejoined. Not to mention her demise. But those last two days now he had talked nearly as much as he did for the last how much soever _years_."

"Hm." was all Barbara could say and dipped her nose deep into the coffee mug.

"Don't hide!" Dove chuckled. "It's true. Go on with that whatever you do – I don't want that dark, doomed Tommy back."

Now Barbara had to chuckle too. "Dark and doomed." she repeated. "Lord Darth Lynley..."

Both women burst out laughing.

Dove stood and got herself one more coffee. In abstraction she gazed out of the window.

"You know, he really loves you."

Barbara swallowed. One part of her still couldn't believe that all this is real and she wouldn't wake up to figure out she was only dreaming.

Dove continued, looking down in her mug. "I think even before Helen... Well," Dove turned quickly and changed the subject before Barbara had the slightest chance to think too much about her last words. "What are you going to do today, you two? I heard it through the grapevine that you're going to escape the party tonight."

"Yah, umm, Thomas got the chance to get the keys to some cottage in St. Ives." She added softly "Much less people there." and blushed.

Dove squeezed her hand. "I comprehend that and I do wish you a really nice time there." She smiled reassuringly. "When will you come back? I hope dearly you'll join us at the New Year's Eve Party!"

"Oh, yah, sure. Thomas said-"

"You always say _Thomas_," Dove interrupted. "I wonder why you don't call him _Tommy_ like everybody else?"

Barbara looked puzzled. She didn't thought about that. She just calls him that way.

"Don't know." She pondered on it. _Maybe it's because I don't want to call him like Helen did._ she thought. "Maybe because _Tommy_ is a little boy, and _Thomas_ is a grown man." she lopsidedly grinned.

"Oh, yes, I aaaaam!" Thomas grunted in the doorframe and flounced into the kitchen like a muscleman.

Barbara jumped and Dove chuckled. "Oh, hush, Tommy, and eat your Weetabix!*****"

"Morning Mammik! Look, my girlfriend." Thomas smiled and gave Barbara a light kiss on the cheek. "Mornin', Babe. Missed you when I woke up." he whispered.

Dove laughingly excused herself to have a walk with her dog and to "...leave the newly enamoured teenagers alone."

* * *

"You sleep well?" Thomas asked, getting himself an Alka-Seltzer.

"Not too bad. But I couldn't sleep anymore because you _did snore_!" Barbara accused him.

"That's what _you_ did when I returned from bathroom with the intent to make unbelieveably good love to you."

Barbara blushed. "Sorry. Think I was squiffy..."

"You owe me something!" Barbara blushed even more at the sight of his wolfish grin. "Now, what about a good breakfast and then a ride..." he provocatively grinned and paused. "...to St. Ives?"

Barbara threw a napkin at his chest.

"Ouch!"

Now it was about a quarter to eleven. The straight ride to St. Ives would take about an hour. Thomas suggested to show her some landmarks to stretch the journey. "We have to get the keys first in Penryn so it's a good start for a circular tour. Or would you prefer going straight so we can start paying for our snoring?"

From behind Thomas put his arms around Barbara, laid his hands on her stomach and gnawed at her nape.

"Yes." she sighed with eyes closed but then, amazed at herself, she corrected "No! Thomas!"

He laughed and let go of her. "Alright then, more foreplay, we'll take the scenic route!"

They planned on arriving in St. Ives in the late afternoon, moving in the cottage and then going out to dinner in the evening. The next day they loosely planned to walk around the city and to make a visit to the Tate gallery.

"...some boring sculptures." Barbara muttered.

"You philistine, you..."

* * *

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* * *

For those who wondered about "Mammik": I thought I bring some Cornish in it - it means Mummy.

* * *

* © Weetabix Ltd.


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